Problems with the Perpendicular
by Aiwen L
Summary: What happens when one of those pesky universal rifts lands Tenth Doctor in a place he's never been before.. but you're familiar with?..Well. We'll see. OC, no doc romance though.
1. Campus Companion

Infernal beeping ripped through the silence of the autumn morning. A previously sleeping figure rolled over in a heap of blankets, batting at the source of the sound. Finally, a hand met the intended target and the hateful sound ceased. Dylan slid out of her bed with a groan. She tried to blink the sleep from her green eyes, but it stayed in place. And who could blame it? It was six in the morning and Dylan knew that God never intended life to stir so early. Then again, the bible said nothing of seven o'clock philosophy classes across campus either, at least not in any part she'd read.

She shook the random thought from her head and stumbled about fifteen feet into the closet. She picked out a random outfit of denim jeans and a retro band shirt and blindly slumped into the bathroom to get ready. Exactly forty-seven minutes later, the door to her second floor room opened and she stepped into the dimly lit morning. Her bag was slung over one shoulder as she started the irritating walk across the field. Of course, there was not another soul in sight.

Who would take a seven A.M. class? No one. Well, maybe except people who procrastinated enrolling and all other classes were filled, and the math nerds. Dylan was one of the former.

She was pondering the validity of sugary breakfast cereals as a mainstream staple when her train of thought was interrupted by a strange sort or mechanical squawking. Dylan wrote it off as a hiccuping jet and took a few more steps before realizing the improbability of her first thought. She looked over her shoulder just in time to see a blue police call box materialize from the morning mist.

The next two moments that followed went very slowly for Dylan. Her mind ran through a series of questions to better understand her predicament. First, she asked herself this.

"..What the Hell?" That was soon followed by the understandable, "Is that the TARDIS?"

After that, it went something like so:

"Holy bicycling nuns. That _is_ the TARDIS. Oh God. Have I accidently wandered onto the set? No, I don't see any cameras. Well, maybe they've gone high tech. Those effects did look pretty impressive. Wait.. I bet it's a joke. Yes.. some sort of television prank. Well they can't fool me. Then again, being humiliated on national television sorta beats going to philosophy. " At that point, those two seconds were up and the occupant of the blue box opened the door.

Time decided to catch up for slowing down earlier, and Dylan froze as time zoomed around her.

"Where is.. this?" The Doctor asked himself, taking no notice of the redheaded teen just meters away. His eyes scanned the sky for some answer before deciding the ground could be more sufficient.

Finally, Dylan broke free of her confused prison.

"Doctor?" she asked. She could hardly believe they had got _him_ all the way out here for some television prank. But hey, she wasn't complaining.

The Doctor focused on the teenager.

"Yes? Have we met?"

".. Eh.. No. " Dylan raised an eyebrow.

"Great," smiled the Doctor. "What year is it? It looks.."

"2008.." Answered Dylan with a raised eyebrow. This man was just as convincing in person as in the series.

"...Well. That's no good." The Doctor said as he pursed his lips in thought.

"So, the cameras in the TARDIS then? Looking out?" Asked Dylan curiously.

The Doctor looked at her again.

"How'd you know it was called the TARDIS? "

"I.. own a telly. Well, not so much anymore, but I still watch-"

Dylan peeked into the TARDIS as she answered.

"It's.. It's bigger on the inside. How'd they do that? Holograms?"

The Doctor shut the door, interrupting her snoop.

"Where do you know me from?"

"Well I own.. did own, " Dylan repeated, "A telly. It's not as if you don't have sky high ratings, you know. It's really great to finally meet you, I'm a big fan. Oh, in fact.." Dylan reached into her bag and pulled out a sonic screwdriver pen. She clicked the button and it buzzed and emitted a blue light.

The Doctors eyes bugged.

"Oh that's no good.. " He snatched the device from her and examined it. "Mass produced ineffective replicas? Worse than I thought. " He turned around promptly and stepped back into the police box.

"Hey," Dylan called. "Can't a have an autograph?..Or at least give me my pen back!" she followed him into the spaceship.

"...This.. this is a good hologram.." She announced.

"That's because it learns a bit more to the realistic side, " replied the Doctor as he threw a lever.

"..How _much_ more to the realistic side?"

"Pretty far.. mostly.. actually pretty much all the way to the realistic side. " The Doctor answered.

Dylan looked.

"Something's gone horribly wrong, hasn't it?" She asked him.

"That's a certain yes. Now, if you could just shut the door as you leave-"

"Can't I stay? I could help. " Dylan smiled.

"..Help with what?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know.. Fight Daleks, outwit Slytheens.. That sort of thing."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"What? I've seen the show.. I've got plenty of experience with time travel and alien races..in theory anyway.." she mumbled the last part. "Oh! And I'm a astrophysics hobbyist," she added.

"Alright, " sighed the Doctor. She saw to much to just be flung back onto the campus soil.

The TARDIS winked out of existence once more, with one passenger more than it landed with.

"So, why're you real?" asked Dylan, unable to articulate the full thought.

"It's a parallel dimension, right? Yours and mine.. "

"No.. parallel dimensions never cross."

"Beg pardon?" Dylan blinked.

"Like.. Parallel lines," the Doctor explained. "They have countless similarities.. only a slight tangent separates them. But.. they _never_ cross. In theory anyway, sometimes things happen and.. Well the point is.. this is a _perpendicular_ universe. "

"Like... the lines? " guessed Dylan.

"Yes. There's a single crossover point with the other universe.. Causing a fork of sorts. The tiniest little coincidence could destroy the both of them.. If things went exactly wrong enough. " The Doctor grinned.

"So Dylan, care to guess what that little meeting point betwixt the universes was?"

She pointed at the Doctor.

"Oh yes. And now you're part of it too. Isn't that lovely?" he said with the sweetest smirk. "Better hold on. " The TARDIS shook with energy as it exited the vortex.


	2. Not New Earth, But Different

A/N: Hiya! This is my first DW fic..My first fic in a LONG time actually. I'd really enjoy some feedback, because I'm trying to get into the character enough to work on a DW fancomic.. So..review? I love you D. I mean.. 51 hits and no reviews is a bit sad to the Muse. ..thanks.

Dylan fell on her bum as the TARDIS shook sporadically around her.

"Oh that's probably not good," she commented as the Doctor pulled her up.

"Well, considering the situation, what'd you expect?" He grinned before turning to tinker with the controls once more.

"So- Where are we going?" she asked him.

"No idea, " the Doctor said brightly, "Never encountered a situation quite like this. I've always loved surprises." The TARDIS slowed to a complete stop. He looked over at Dylan.

"Honestly though. It could be anything out there.. anywhere. That's the problem with inter-dimensional travel. It's a shot in the dark really. You can't really go someplace if your ship doesn't recognize it as fact.." The Doctor went on, more to himself than anything, until Dylan interrupted.

"How do you figure you got to my universe at all?" She had a theory, due to her Whovian status, but she didn't exactly want to let him in on her idea just yet.

"Usually there's.." He paused. "..Usually a dimensional rift. A tear in the proverbial fabric of time and space. " He placed his hands in his pockets and glanced back to Dylan.

"Usually? What about other times?" Dylan poked.

"Oh, I dunno. Could be.. " He narrowed his eyes in thought. "Oh! Could be some dark matter beings.. Up to controlled chaos, altering the universes according to the Great Plan."

"Is that what it is?" Dylan asked with raised eyebrows.

"No, that's ridiculous," he smiled as he tilted his head to the side. "Dark Matter beings? Utter nonsense.." He stalked around Dylan to the TARDIS door. His raised his eyebrows and pushed a sigh through his pouted lips. "It's just a dimensional nexus of sorts. The Time Vortex opened at just the right moment- or, wrong I suppose.." he eyes wandered to the side for a moment before returning to Dylan. "..And I slipped through. And dragged you into it."

"I don't mind the dragging, " Dylan shrugged.

"Oh you say that now. But, let's see what's behind door number one, shall we?" He motioned her to join him be the exit. She stalked over with a grin on her face.

"Now.. Remember... Anything could be beyond this door."

"I'm ready. " Dylan breathed. In reality, she wasn't. All she was prepared for as the Doctor opened the door was something fascinating, something other-worldy, something mind blowing.

".. It's...Earth. This- That's my campus!" Dylan said more shocked by the ordinariness of it. "Congratulations, Doctor. You've transported us two yards. Brilliant. "

"Thanks. One question." The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS. "Since when did _your_ Earth have a pink sun?"

"Oh bollocks. " Mumbled Dylan. "Another alternate universe?"

"So it would seem," stated the Doctor. "Let's find out just what this one has to offer!" He grabbed her wrist and yanked her along the field toward the administrative building.

"Wait," Dylan pulled back a bit, "How do we know we won't run into.. eh.. me?"

"We don't, " shrugged the Doctor. "Just keep an eye out. .And if you see you.. try not to wave or something. You know how these things work."

"Yeah I remember the whole 'Fathersday/ Cybermen' scenario pretty well. " Dylan commented as they began walking toward the building. The Doctor dropped her wrist and paused.

"You've seen what's happened then? I wonder how much.." He pondered with a far off gaze.

"The condensed parts. Gaps here and there.. " Dylan assured him as they approached the door. She opened it as she had done hundreds of times before and walked down the hallway.

"Hello?" She peeked through a window into the student affairs office. "They're out..Weird."

"That's not just weird.." The Doctor poked his head into a random door. "Look. Desks. "

"Yeah it's the leadership classroom," Dylan explained.

"But no ones in them," whispered the Doctor.

"Maybe they're on Holiday.." shrugged Dylan.

"And they left the doors unlocked? Left books and pens on the desks. No. Something is wrong here. "

"Well, let's have a look at what the television has to say about it. " She clicked the classroom screen on. White noise filled the silent room. She began flicking through the channels, but each one had the exact same nothingness as the previous. The Doctor, meanwhile, was ruffling through the contents of the desk.

"Aha. A newspaper..Dated last year." He unrolled it and skimmed the head line. "Oh.. " he said dismally. "..That explains the sun.."

"A year? That explains the dust. "

"No.." said the Doctor, "That's not dust." He showed her the aged paper.

"Armageddon?" she read with confusion.

"Invasion. Earth's first contact and it's from planet destroyers. That sun.." the Doctor looked off with a stoic glance, " that isn't Earth's Sun. Planet harvesters towed the entire planet over here.."

"But.. where's the people?" asked Dylan. The Doctor gestured at the powdered matter on the ground.

"Why?" Dylan asked in confusion.

"They weren't interested in Earth's life-forms.. they wanted it for the minerals.. the water.. the rock. Humans just stood in the way of that. A quick mega blast with high frequency gamma waves and life is wiped out..They're free to do with the planet what they will."

The Doctor looked down at the remains of humanity that partially coated his shoes. "We should be going then. Not going to find much help here." He pocketed the newspaper and held the door open for his red-headed accompaniment.


End file.
